CN113994198A - Non-destructive testing (NDT) based equipment with integrated light sensor - Google Patents
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Abstract
Systems and methods for implementing and using non-destructive inspection (NDT) based equipment with integrated light sensors are provided. The light sensor may be configured to generate illumination-related sensory data (e.g., related to Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light) during an illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection, and may manage or control the inspection based on the illumination-related sensory data.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This international application claims priority to U.S. patent application serial No. 16/379,449 entitled "non-destructive testing (NDT) based equipment with integrated light sensor" filed on 2019, 4/9. U.S. patent application serial No. 16/379,449 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Background
Non-destructive testing (NDT) is used to evaluate the characteristics and/or features of materials, components, and/or systems without causing damage or altering the item being tested. Because non-destructive testing does not permanently alter the article being inspected, it is a very valuable technique that can save cost and/or time when used for product evaluation, troubleshooting, and research. Non-destructive inspection methods that are often used include magnetic particle inspection, eddy current inspection, liquid (or stain) penetrant inspection, radiation inspection, ultrasonic inspection, and visual inspection. Non-destructive testing (NDT) is commonly used in fields such as mechanical engineering, oil engineering, electrical engineering, system engineering, aeronautical engineering, medicine, art, etc.
In some cases, specialized materials and/or products may be used for non-destructive testing. For example, non-destructive testing of a particular type of article may require application (e.g., by spraying, injecting, passing, etc.) of a material configured to perform non-destructive testing to the article or part under test. In this regard, such materials (hereinafter referred to as "NDT materials" or "NDT products") may be selected and/or manufactured based on having particular magnetic characteristics, visual characteristics, etc. suitable for non-destructive inspection (e.g., to allow for the detection of defects, irregularities, and/or imperfections (hereinafter referred to as "defects") in the article under test).
One form or type of NDT-based inspection is illumination-based NDT inspection. In NDT inspection, defects may be inspected visually based on illumination using light (e.g., in combination with NDT material applied to the article to be inspected). In this regard, defects may be visually identified based on, for example, color contrast or some light-related behavior. The light used in such illumination-based NDT inspection may be available ambient light. Alternatively or additionally, a light source (e.g., a special lamp) may be used to provide light that meets certain criteria for performing an inspection. However, illumination-based NDT inspection has its unique challenges.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such approaches with some aspects of the present methods and systems set forth in the remainder of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings.
Disclosure of Invention
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to product detection and inspection. More particularly, various embodiments according to the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for implementing and operating non-destructive inspection (NDT) based equipment with integrated light sensors, substantially as shown in or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.
These and other advantages, aspects, and novel features of the present disclosure, as well as details of illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure, will be more fully understood from the following description and drawings.
Drawings
Fig. 1 illustrates example illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection equipment, which may be configured for operation in accordance with the present disclosure.
Fig. 2 illustrates an example illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection rig with integrated light sensors according to this disclosure.
Fig. 3 illustrates an example controller for use in a non-destructive inspection (NDT) based setup for use with an inspection lamp having an integrated light sensor, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
Fig. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an example process for illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) in NDT inspection equipment with integrated light sensors, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
Detailed Description
Various embodiments according to the present disclosure relate to providing enhanced and optimized illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection, particularly by implementing and operating non-destructive inspection-based (NDT) equipment with integrated light sensors. In this regard, as noted above, in illumination-based NDT inspection, inspection may be performed visually, typically using light (e.g., in combination with NDT material applied to the article to be inspected) to inspect for defects. For example, defects may be visually identified based on exhibiting certain unique and identifiable characteristics, such as based on color contrast or some light-related behavior. However, illumination-based NDT inspection has its unique challenges. In this regard, existing solutions suffer from certain drawbacks that may hinder the effectiveness and/or cost of illumination-based NDT inspection. For example, existing solutions may not take into account lighting conditions that may affect the inspection, particularly conditions that may exist (or be a factor) during the inspection-i.e., at least do not require stopping the inspection or otherwise changing the inspection environment after the inspection has begun. Accordingly, NDT related machines or systems that overcome at least some of these disadvantages may be desirable.
Accordingly, embodiments according to the present disclosure address such problems and shortcomings, such as by providing illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) based equipment that allows for monitoring and accounting for current illumination conditions.
As used herein, the terms "circuit" and "circuitry" refer to physical electronic components (e.g., hardware) as well as any software and/or firmware ("code") that may configure, be executed by, and/or otherwise associated with the hardware. As used herein, for example, a particular processor and memory (e.g., volatile or non-volatile memory device, general purpose computer readable medium, etc.) may constitute a first "circuit" when executing a first line or lines of code and a second "circuit" when executing a second line or lines of code. Additionally, the circuit may include analog circuitry and/or digital circuitry. Such circuitry may operate on analog signals and/or digital signals, for example. It should be understood that the circuitry may be in a single device or chip, on a single motherboard, in a single chassis, in multiple enclosures at a single geographic location, distributed among multiple enclosures at multiple geographic locations, etc. Similarly, for example, the term "module" may refer to physical electronic components (e.g., hardware) and any software and/or firmware ("code") that may configure, be executed by, and/or otherwise be associated with the hardware.
As used herein, a circuitry or module is "operable" to perform a function when the circuitry or module includes the hardware and code (if necessary) necessary to perform the function, regardless of whether the performance of the function is disabled or not enabled (e.g., by user-configurable settings, factory adjustments, etc.).
As used herein, "and/or" refers to any one or more of the plurality of items in the list connected by "and/or". For example, "x and/or y" refers to any element in the three-element set { (x), (y), (x, y) }. In other words, "x and/or y" means "one or both of x and y". As another example, "x, y, and/or z" refers to any element of the seven-element set { (x), (y), (z), (x, y), (x, z), (y, z), (x, y, z) }. In other words, "x, y, and/or z" means "one or more of x, y, and z. The term "exemplary," as used herein, is intended to serve as a non-limiting example, instance, or illustration. As used herein, the terms "for example" and "for example (e.g)" bring forth a list of one or more non-limiting examples, instances, or illustrations.
As used herein, "inspection component" includes any component of a machine or apparatus configured to perform or facilitate illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection of an article. For example, an "inspection component" may include any of the following: a structure or frame element of a machine or apparatus as a whole and/or equipment to perform an inspection, a holder component configured to hold an article being inspected (and position the article in a particular manner for inspection), a magnetization component configured to magnetize the article being inspected (in magnetization-based inspection), an application component configured to apply a non-destructive inspection (NDT) material to the article (e.g., in penetrant-based inspection), a light source configured to emit light during inspection, and the like.
An example non-destructive inspection (NDT) apparatus according to the present disclosure may include: one or more inspection components configured for performing an illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection of an article; one or more light sensors configured to generate sensory data related to Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light; and one or more circuits configured to: processing the sensed data; and generating illumination data related to Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light in and/or near the inspection area that the article may be being inspected based on the processing.
In an example embodiment, the apparatus may include a feedback component configured to provide feedback to an operator of the system during an illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection. The feedback component may include a visual output device.
In an example embodiment, the feedback component may be configured to provide illumination-related feedback based on illumination data related to one or both of Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light in and/or near the examination region. The illumination-related feedback may include light intensity levels of one or both of Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light in and/or near the examination region.
In an example embodiment, the one or more circuits may be configured to generate illumination-related feedback based on the illumination data.
In an example embodiment, at least one of the one or more circuits may be incorporated in the feedback component.
In an example embodiment, at least one of the one or more light sensors may be configured to transmit the sensory data and/or data generated based on the sensory data to at least one other component of the system. The at least one light sensor may be configured to communicate the sensing data and/or data generated based on the sensing data via a wired connection and/or a wireless connection.
In an example embodiment, at least one of the one or more circuits may be configured to transmit the sensory data and/or data generated based on the sensory data to at least one other component of the system.
In an example implementation, at least one of the one or more circuits may be configured to communicate the sensory data and/or data generated based on the sensory data via a wired connection and/or a wireless connection.
In an example embodiment, at least one circuit of the one or more circuits may be configured to control an illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection; the controlling may include stopping an illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection based on a particular illumination-related criterion. At least one of the one or more circuits may be configured to evaluate the illumination-related criterion based on the sensed data and/or data generated based on the sensed data.
In an example embodiment, at least one of the one or more light sensors may be fixed.
In an example embodiment, at least one of the one or more light sensors may be movable to enable an operator of the system to adaptively and/or selectively position at least one of the one or more light sensors prior to initiating an illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection.
In an example embodiment, at least one of the one or more circuits may be incorporated into one of the one or more light sensors.
In an example embodiment, at least one of the one or more circuits may be incorporated into at least one of the one or more inspection components.
In an example embodiment, the one or more inspection components may be configured to perform illumination-based Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI).
In an example embodiment, one or more inspection components may be configured to perform illumination-based fluid penetration inspection (LPI).
In accordance with the present disclosure, an example method for illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection may include: setting up an article for performing an illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection of the article, the setting including fixing the article in a particular position and applying a non-destructive inspection (NDT) -related material to the article, the material configured to exhibit one or more unique light-related characteristics at an area in the article corresponding to a defect; providing one or more light sensors configured to generate sensing data related to Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light, the setting including placing and/or adjusting a position of at least one of the one or more light sensors; and performing an illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection of the article based on illumination data related to Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light in and/or near the inspection area, the illumination data may be generated based on sensory data generated by the one or more light sensors during the illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection.
Fig. 1 illustrates example illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection equipment, which may be configured for operation in accordance with the present disclosure. An NDT apparatus 100 that may be used to perform illumination-based NDT inspection is shown in fig. 1.
The NDT equipment 100 may include various components configured for non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection of an article (e.g., a mechanical part, etc.) according to a particular NDT inspection method and/or technique. In particular, the NDT apparatus 100 may be configured for illumination-based NDT inspection. In this regard, in illumination-based NDT inspection, defects in an article being inspected may be visually detected, particularly by using light, such as ambient light or light projected onto the article being inspected.
Thus, in some cases, illumination-based NDT inspection may require the use of a specially designed light source (e.g., a lamp) that may be configured to emit light in a particular manner. In this regard, the emitted light may be white light, other types of light (e.g., Ultraviolet (UV) light), or any combination thereof. In some cases, illumination-based NDT inspection may require the use of NDT materials that are applied to the article to be inspected. In this regard, defects may be visually identified based on, for example, color contrast or another light-related behavior (which may be caused or enhanced by the applied NDT material).
Various illumination-based NDT inspection techniques are used. The two main techniques are the "magnetic particle inspection" (MPI) technique, which is typically used with ferrous materials, and the "liquid penetrant inspection" (LPI) technique, which is typically used with non-ferrous materials (e.g., aluminum, brass, etc.). Regardless of the technique employed, the goal is to make the defects visible when the article is visually inspected (e.g., under a light source). Accordingly, in various embodiments, the NDT apparatus 100 may be configured to perform MPI-based inspections and/or LPI-based inspections.
As shown in fig. 1, the NDT equipment 100 includes a light source (e.g., a lamp) 110 that can be used for non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection of articles using light emitted by or projected onto the articles by the lamp 110. The lamp 110 may be attached to the support structure 120 such that the lamp may project light downward onto the inspection surface 130 on which an article (e.g., a mechanical part) 140 may be placed, such as fixed in a particular position using a holder 150, such that the article is inspected using the light projected by the lamp 110.
The NDT equipment 100 may be configured to use Ultraviolet (UV) alone or in combination with white light (or visible light) in illumination-based NDT inspection. Accordingly, the lamp 110 may be configured to generate and/or project Ultraviolet (UV) light. In some cases, the lamp 110 may also emit white light (or visible light). Alternatively, ambient white light is used, if desired. The lamp 110 may be any suitable light source. In some cases, the Lamp 110 may be implemented according to any of the embodiments described In U.S. patent application serial No. 16/049,567 entitled "Broad-Beam Ultraviolet (UV) Inspection Lamp For Use In Non-Destructive Inspection (NDT)", filed on 30/7/2018.
To enhance performance (e.g., improve the ability to detect defects), an inspection housing 160 may be used. In this regard, the inspection enclosure 160 may be used in a suitable lighting environment for performing the inspection, such as by blocking or otherwise limiting ambient light. This may be done to ensure that most of the light within the NDT equipment 110 originates from the lamp 110, allowing the lighting environment for inspection to be controlled. The inspection enclosure 160 may be configured, for example, as a tent-like structure or any other structure that provides sufficient shielding. Further, the inspection housing 160 may be adjustable-e.g., based on user preferences, surrounding space, etc.
In some cases, the performance of illumination-based NDT inspections may be adversely affected by certain illumination-related conditions and/or problems. For example, despite the use of the inspection enclosure 160, there may be sufficient ambient light leaking into the inspection area (even though it may not be detected by the user), which may affect the accuracy or reliability of the illumination-based NDT inspection performed therein. Also, in some cases, there may be problems or defects in the light source (e.g., lamp 100) that are not detectable by the user, which may affect the accuracy or reliability of the illumination-based NDT inspection performed therein. Therefore, illumination-based NDT inspection can be enhanced by combining measures to handle such conditions.
Accordingly, in various embodiments according to the present disclosure, illumination-based NDT inspection may be enhanced by combining measures for monitoring illumination conditions and for providing appropriate actions related thereto (such as notifying a user, taking corrective action, etc.).
In some example embodiments, this may be implemented by incorporating a light sensor into the NDT equipment. Such light sensors may be fixed (e.g., built into some existing component in the NDT equipment) and/or movable to give the user some flexibility to determine where to place the light sensors within the NDT equipment, such as based on user preferences, unique features associated with inspection (e.g., the particular article being inspected), and so forth. The light sensor may be configured to generate sensory information based on the detected lighting condition. The sensory information may then be used to enhance illumination-based NDT inspections performed within the NDT equipment.
For example, illumination-related information (e.g., light intensity data) may be obtained based on the sensory information. The illumination-related information may be used to enhance illumination-based NDT inspection. For example, lighting related information may be provided (e.g., displayed) to the user to allow the user to confirm light conditions consistent with a reliable inspection. The illumination related information may also be used as control data for controlling some other components (e.g. lamps) in the NDT equipment.
A specific example embodiment is described with respect to fig. 2.
Fig. 2 illustrates an example illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection rig with integrated light sensors according to this disclosure. An NDT apparatus 200 that may be used to perform illumination-based NDT inspection is shown in fig. 2.
The NDT equipment 200 may include various components configured for illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection, as described with respect to fig. 1. In this regard, the NDT apparatus 200 may be configured to perform MPI illumination-based inspection and/or LPI illumination-based inspection.
As shown in fig. 2, the NDT equipment 200 includes a light source (e.g., a lamp) 210 that may be configured to emit and/or project light onto an article being inspected. The lamp 210 may be similar to the lamp 110 described with respect to fig. 1. Accordingly, the lamp 210 may be configured to generate and emit Ultraviolet (UV) light. The lamps 210 may be arranged within the NDT equipment 200 to emit and/or project light onto an inspection surface 230 on which an article (e.g., a mechanical part) 240 may be placed, such as fixed in a particular position using the holder 220, so that the article may be inspected using the light projected by the lamps 210.
The NDT equipment 200 may be configured for monitoring lighting conditions and for providing suitable actions related thereto to enhance and/or optimize performance of the lighting-based NDT inspection performed therein, such as providing lighting-related feedback to an operator using the NDT equipment 200, to take autonomous corrective measures, and the like. In this regard, as explained with respect to fig. 1, certain lighting-related conditions and/or issues may affect lighting-based NDT inspection, particularly its reliability and accuracy. For example, ambient light may affect the results of the illumination-based NDT inspection (e.g., resulting in a false pass or fail determination). Similarly, problems or defects in the light source (e.g., lamp 200) that are not detected or noticed may also affect the results of the illumination-based NDT inspection (e.g., similarly leading to false pass or fail determinations).
For example, as shown in the example embodiment illustrated in fig. 2, the NDT apparatus 200 may incorporate one or more light sensors 250 that may be used within the NDT apparatus 200 to monitor lighting conditions during lighting-based NDT inspections, wherein the NDT apparatus 200 is configured to use information obtained based on such monitoring during such lighting-based NDT inspections.
Each light sensor 250 may include suitable hardware (including circuitry) for detecting light and/or specific features associated therewith, and for generating corresponding sensory information. For example, each light sensor 250 may include suitable hardware configured to react in a particular manner (e.g., a chemical change in a material, a change in an electromagnetic characteristic, etc.) in response to a particular light condition (e.g., ambient light having an intensity above a certain threshold). The "sensory information" generated by the light sensor 250 may include actual information-i.e., some type of data. In this regard, the sensory information may only be as basic as an indication when a certain condition occurs; alternatively, the sensory information may include more complex information-e.g., actual measurements corresponding to particular lighting conditions or characteristics, relevant data associated with the conditions or measurements (e.g., temporal, spatial, etc.), etc. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Thus, in some embodiments, the sensory information may simply be a signal (e.g., an electrical pulse), which may be triggered when certain detection conditions are met, and which (signal) may be interpreted by the component receiving the signal as "information" -e.g., based on a particular characteristic (e.g., amplitude) of the signal.
In some cases, the light sensor 250 is stationary. In this regard, the light sensor 250 may be embedded, built-in, or otherwise permanently attached to one of the other components in the NDT equipment 200, such as to the holder 220, the inspection surface 230, or the like.
However, in some embodiments, at least one of the light sensors 250 may be movable and/or adjustable. Such movable and/or adjustable sensors may be configured to be able to temporarily place and/or adjust their position within the NDT equipment. For example, the movable and/or adjustable sensor may include an attachment element (e.g., a clip-like member) to enable it to be attached to certain points in the NDT equipment 200. This may allow the user some flexibility in determining the location and manner of placing the movable and/or adjustable sensors within the NDT equipment 200, such as based on user preferences (e.g., to ensure that the sensors do not interfere with inspection), to optimize inspection (e.g., based on the article being inspected, inspection parameters, etc.), and so forth.
The light sensor 250 may be configured to communicate with at least one other component of the system. For example, the light sensor 250 may be configured to support wired and/or wireless connections. Accordingly, each light sensor 250 may include suitable circuitry for facilitating such connections and communications using those connections.
The light sensor 250 may be configured to use the available connections (wired and/or wireless) to communicate the sensory data to at least one other component of the system, which may be configured to use the sensory information to enhance illumination-based NDT inspection. For example, the sensed information may be processed, such as generating or determining information (e.g., light intensity data, corresponding to white (vision) light and Ultraviolet (UV) light) related to the respective illumination corresponding to the area (e.g., light projected) in which the inspection is being performed and/or the vicinity of the inspection area.
The NDT equipment 200 may be configured to perform certain actions taken based on sensory information and/or processing thereof, the actions configured to enhance the lighting-based NDT inspection. For example, the user may be provided with lighting related information (or data based thereon), which may allow the user to confirm that the ambient light conditions are consistent with reliable inspection results. The illumination related information may also be used as control data for controlling some other component (e.g., the lamp 210) in the NDT equipment.
The processing of the sensing information may be performed in a component other than the light sensor 250. Such components may be configured to handle such processing. In this regard, the components may include suitable circuitry for performing the necessary processing. For example, as shown in fig. 2, the NDT equipment 200 may include a controller 260, which may include suitable circuitry for processing the sensed information, and/or for performing and/or controlling any actions taken based on the processing of the sensed information. For example, the controller 260 may incorporate a screen or display 270 that may be used to display the light intensity level calculated based on the sensory information obtained by the light sensor. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and thus other combinations or variations may be supported. For example, a "controller" may include already included controller circuitry (e.g., controller circuitry for the lamp 210), which may be configured to perform some desired processing function. Further, in some cases, at least some processing may be performed within at least one of the illumination sensors 250. In such embodiments, such an illumination sensor may include suitable circuitry for processing the desired treatment.
Fig. 3 illustrates an example controller for use in a non-destructive inspection (NDT) based setup for use with an inspection lamp having an integrated light sensor, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. A controller system 300 is shown in fig. 3.
The controller system 300 may include suitable circuitry for implementing various aspects of the present disclosure, particularly for supporting automated sample collection in a magnetic wet bench as described with respect to fig. 1. In this regard, the controller system 300 may represent an example implementation of the controller unit 260 of fig. 2. Accordingly, the control system 300 may be configured to support illumination-based NDT inspection, particularly in equipment incorporating integrated light sensors and their use. For example, the control system 300 may be configured to perform at least some processing on sensory information generated by the light sensor, and to take or support actions taken based on the sensory information, including, for example, providing feedback to a user, such as via available output devices (e.g., a display or screen).
As shown in fig. 3, the controller system 300 may include a processor 302. In this regard, the example processor 302 may be any general purpose Central Processing Unit (CPU) from any manufacturer. However, in some example embodiments, the processor 302 may include one or more special-purpose processing units, such as a RISC processor with an ARM core, a graphics processing unit, a digital signal processor, and/or a system on chip (SoC).
The processor 302 executes machine-readable instructions 304, which may be stored locally at the processor (e.g., in an included cache or SoC) in a Random Access Memory (RAM)306 (or other volatile memory), in a Read Only Memory (ROM)308 (or other non-volatile memory such as FLASH memory), and/or in a mass storage device 310. Example mass storage device 310 may be a hard disk drive, a solid state storage drive, a hybrid drive, a RAID array, and/or any other mass data storage device.
The bus 312 supports communication between the processor 302, the RAM 306, the ROM 308, the mass storage device 310, the network interface 314, and/or the input/output (I/O) interface 316.
The example network interface 314 includes hardware, firmware, and/or software to connect the controller system 300 to a communication network 318, such as the internet. For example, the network interface 314 may include wireless and/or wired communication hardware for sending and/or receiving communications in accordance with IEEE 202. X.
The example I/O interface 316 of fig. 3 includes hardware, firmware, and/or software to couple one or more user interface devices 320 to the processor 302 to provide input to the processor 302 and/or to provide output from the processor 302. For example, the I/O interface 316 may include a graphics processing unit for interfacing with a display device, a universal serial bus port for interfacing with one or more USB compatible devices, FireWire, Fieldbus, and/or any other type of interface.
The example controller system 300 includes a user interface device 324 coupled to the I/O interface 316. The user interface device 324 may include one or more of the following: a keyboard, keypad, physical buttons, mouse, trackball, pointing device, microphone, audio speaker, optical media drive, multi-touch screen, gesture recognition interface, and/or any other type or combination of types of input and/or output devices. Although the examples herein refer to one user interface device 324, the examples may include any number of input and/or output devices as a single user interface device 324. Other example I/O device(s) 320 may include optical media drives, magnetic media drives, peripheral devices (e.g., scanners, printers, etc.), and/or any other type of input and/or output device.
The example controller system 300 may access the non-transitory machine-readable media 322 via the I/O interface 316 and/or the I/O device(s) 320. Examples of the machine-readable medium 322 of FIG. 3 include: optical disks (e.g., Compact Disks (CDs), digital versatile/video disks (DVDs), blu-ray disks, etc.), magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks), portable storage media (e.g., portable flash drives, Secure Digital (SD) cards, etc.), and/or any other type of machine-readable media that may be removable and/or installable.
Fig. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of an example process for illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) in NDT inspection equipment with integrated light sensors, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Fig. 4 shows a flow diagram 400 including a number of example steps (represented as blocks 402 and 412) that may be performed in a suitable system (e.g., the apparatus 200 of fig. 2) to provide illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection in accordance with the present disclosure.
In a start step 402, illumination-based NDT inspection equipment is prepared for inspection (e.g., powering its components, setting up enclosed areas, etc.).
In step 404, the article being inspected may be set up for illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection of the article. Disposing the article can include, for example, securing the article in a particular position, applying any necessary non-destructive inspection (NDT) related materials (e.g., to exhibit a particular illumination related characteristic) to the article, and the like.
In step 406, an integrated light sensor may be provided for inspection. This may include placing and/or adjusting the positioning of any movable light sensors. In this regard, the integrated light sensor is configured to provide illumination-related monitoring during an examination without requiring any changes to the examination environment (e.g., without requiring the illumination conditions within the examination enclosure to be turned on or otherwise changed).
In step 408, a lighting-based NDT inspection of an article within the inspection enclosure may be initiated.
In step 410, the light sensor generates sensory information during the examination. When necessary, the sensing information or data obtained based thereon may be transmitted from the light sensor to other inspection components in the equipment.
In step 412, the sensory information is processed (e.g., within the light sensor, in other inspection components within the equipment, or any combination thereof). The processing may allow useful lighting-related data to be obtained-for example, lighting data related to examining light and/or light sources within a housing)
In step 414, the illumination-based NDT inspection may be managed based on the illumination data — e.g., by providing feedback to the user regarding the illumination conditions to enable assessment of the reliability of the inspection, etc.
Other embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure may provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium and/or storage medium, and/or a non-transitory machine-readable medium and/or storage medium having stored thereon a machine code and/or computer program having at least one code section executable by a machine and/or computer to cause the machine and/or computer to perform a process described herein.
Thus, various embodiments according to the present disclosure may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. The present disclosure may be realized in a centralized fashion in at least one computing system, or in a distributed fashion where different elements are spread across several interconnected computing systems. Any kind of computing system or other apparatus adapted for carrying out the methods described herein is suited. A typical combination of hardware and software could be a general purpose computing system with a program or other code that, when being loaded and executed, controls the computing system such that it carries out the methods described herein. Another exemplary embodiment may include an application specific integrated circuit or chip.
Various embodiments according to the present disclosure can also be embedded in a computer program product, which comprises all the features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein, and which, when loaded in a computer system is able to carry out these methods. Computer program in the present context means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system having an information processing capability to perform a particular function either directly or after either or both of the following: a) conversion to another language, code or notation; b) replicated in different material forms.
While the disclosure has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, the blocks and/or components of the disclosed examples may be combined, divided, rearranged, and/or otherwise modified. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (20)
1. A system for non-destructive testing (NDT), the system comprising:
one or more inspection components configured to perform an illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection of an article;
one or more light sensors configured to generate sensory data related to Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light; and
one or more circuits configured to:
processing the sensing data; and
illumination data relating to Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light in and/or near an inspection area in which the article is being inspected is generated based on the processing.
2. The system of claim 1, comprising a feedback component configured to provide feedback to an operator of the system during the illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the feedback component comprises a visual output device.
4. The system of claim 2, wherein the feedback component is configured to provide illumination-related feedback based on the illumination data, the illumination data relating to one or both of Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light in and/or near an examination region.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the illumination-related feedback includes a light intensity level of one or both of Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light in and/or near the examination region.
6. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more circuits are configured to generate the illumination-related feedback based on the illumination data.
7. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more circuits is incorporated in the feedback component.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more light sensors is configured to communicate the sensory data and/or data generated based on the sensory data to at least one other component of the system.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one of the one or more light sensors is configured to communicate the sensory data and/or data generated based on the sensory data via a wired connection and/or a wireless connection.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more circuits is configured to communicate the sensory data and/or data generated based on the sensory data to at least one other component of the system.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more circuits is configured to communicate the sensory data and/or data generated based on the sensory data via a wired connection and/or a wireless connection.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more circuits is configured to control the illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection, the controlling comprising stopping the illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection based on a particular illumination-related criterion.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more circuits is configured to evaluate the illumination-related criteria based on the sensed data and/or data generated based on the sensed data.
14. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more light sensors is stationary.
15. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more light sensors is movable to enable an operator of the system to adaptively and/or selectively place at least one of the one or more light sensors prior to initiating the illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection.
16. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more circuits is incorporated into one of the one or more light sensors.
17. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more circuits is incorporated into at least one of the one or more inspection components.
18. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more inspection components are configured to perform illumination-based Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI).
19. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more inspection components are configured to perform illumination-based fluid infiltration inspection (LPI).
20. A method for illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT), the method comprising:
providing an article for performing an illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection of the article; wherein the setting comprises:
securing the article in a specific position;
applying a non-destructive inspection (NDT) -related material to the article, the material configured to exhibit one or more unique light-related characteristics at a region in the article corresponding to a defect;
providing one or more light sensors configured to generate sensing data related to Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light, wherein the setting comprises placing and/or adjusting a position of at least one of the one or more light sensors; and
performing an illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection of the article based on illumination data related to Ultraviolet (UV) light and/or white light in and/or near an inspection area, wherein the illumination data is generated based on sensory data generated by the one or more light sensors during the illumination-based non-destructive inspection (NDT) inspection.
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| US16/379,449 US20200326275A1 (en) | 2019-04-09 | 2019-04-09 | Non-destructive testing (ndt) based setups with integrated light sensors |
| US16/379,449 | 2019-04-09 | ||
| PCT/US2020/017463 WO2020209931A1 (en) | 2019-04-09 | 2020-02-10 | Non-destructive testing (ndt) based setups with integrated light sensors |
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| EP (1) | EP3953688A1 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP2022528935A (en) |
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- 2020-02-10 EP EP20710381.3A patent/EP3953688A1/en not_active Withdrawn
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| Publication number | Publication date |
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| WO2020209931A1 (en) | 2020-10-15 |
| MX2021011865A (en) | 2021-10-13 |
| US20200326275A1 (en) | 2020-10-15 |
| CA3135828A1 (en) | 2020-10-15 |
| JP2022528935A (en) | 2022-06-16 |
| KR20210148244A (en) | 2021-12-07 |
| EP3953688A1 (en) | 2022-02-16 |
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